Friday rant: The future of Canon RF and 3rd party lenses

sportyaccordy wrote:

Myles Baker wrote:

Do you not think that a reduction in market size from 20 million to 6 million is significant or may influence the decisions of camera manufacturers?

Obviously.

If the same amount of lenses are being sold in 2022 as 2010 & you suggest that 3rd parties have gained market share (do you have any data on that?) then the OEM's are fighting over a smaller share of the pie. Why would Canon want to give away even more of that share?

Like I said, the number of 3rd party brands, lenses and significantly higher lens prices (a $2000+ 3rd party lens would have been unheard of back then) speaks to 3rd party brands being much stronger today than they were 10 years ago.

Again, if 3rd party lens companies are increasing their share of a pie that hasn't grown, at I assume the cost of the OEM's, why would Canon want to make that easier for them?

Canon has also done the math and feel their approach is better. Do you have any numbers that suggest they are wrong & Nikon is right?

No. Can you offer anything besides knee jerk deference to Canon's decision making? Do companies always make perfect decisions?

Companies do not always make correct decisions, but they do tend to make them based on the best available data at the time as opposed to sticking their finger in the air to see which way the wind is blowing.

You are right that allowing other companies to poach your sales isn't wise. Which is why Canon's penny wise pound foolish approach to 3rd party lenses is so confusing. They have the market base and pricing power to easily leverage licensing, enabling them to profit handsomely from every 3rd party sale for minimum effort and investment. As well as focus the lens releases that benefit them the most, rather than having to try to do it all.

Again, in the end, who wins? Certainly not the consumer. Its bizarre to me to see so many people defending a company leveraging their brand's power to the consumer's disadvantages. How exactly does Canon limiting lens choices for their gain benefit you as a customer and photographer?

The consumer has a choice not to use Canon. No-one is forcing them to choose the R system. Canon, for their own reasons have chosen to enforce their patent protections. Is that a bad thing for a company to do, or should they allow a free for all? They have also, at this time, not licensed any 3rd parties to make af lenses for the RF mount. That decision would have been taken based on their data and what they feel is best for the company. If you, as a consumer, don't like that decision, then buy another brand. If sufficient people do that, then the financial calculations will change & maybe Canon will license 3rd parties.

Complaining about it on a camera forum wont change what Canon is doing, only sales, or lack thereof will.

I'm not so delusional to think that a discussion on a forum is going to change Canon's mind. We are just having a discussion and exchanging viewpoints. The key question for me is why people are so eager to defend a business decision that robs them of choice. It seems RF's strongest calling card is its ability to continue to use EF lenses............

Whichever system a person chooses depends entirely on their wants & needs. There are 2 key questions. Does the system have the camera I want at a price point that is acceptable to me? Does the system have the lenses I want at a price point that is acceptable to me?

If the answer to those two questions is yes, then it is irrelavant how many other lenses are in the system, who makes them or how much they cost and yes the compatability & performance of EF lenses that a Canon user may already own comes into that decision.

If the answer is no then find another system.

The way people talk about it, its like Canon is stealing their first born & forcing them to buy their product.

In the end, you & I as consumers have a choice. I'm happy with mine.

Canons business decisions are about what they see as best for them, the same as Sony, Nikon, Fuji, Panasonic, Leica, Tamron, Sigma, Viltrox or whoever else. These are not altruistic companies, looking out for the best interests of the little man, they are looking for the best returns for their shareholders. Nothing more, nothing less.

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